Students across Delaware coordinate walkout to honor Florida shooting victims

Dickinson High School senior Sofia Rose and Newark Charter senior Dounya Ramadan have worked with schools across the state to coordinate 17 minute walkouts to protest gun violence and memorialize the 17 students killed in Florida.
Jerry Habraken / The News Journal

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Dickinson High School senior Sofia Rose, left, and Newark Charter senior Dounya Ramadan have worked with schools across the state to coordinate 17 minute walkouts to protest gun violence and memorialize the 17 students killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. (Photo: Jerry Habraken, The News Journal)Buy Photo

Enough, Delaware high school students are saying this month as they organize simultaneous school walkouts to take place at 10 a.m. March 14.

Enough to gun violence. Enough to assault weapons. And enough to school shootings like the one that killed 17 people in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14.

"It’s our turn to take a stand and change our community," said Ellen Schlecht, a sophomore at Wilmington's Ursuline Academy. "Change the way people view us as teenagers. Change the way people see the guns in our world. Change the gun laws within our cities, states and country. But most importantly, we are making sure this never happens again."

Schlecht and students at close to 20 Delaware schools are organizing student walkouts for the one-month anniversary of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Students are still signing up and the list of schools may grow in the coming two weeks.

They will be part of a national movement. At 10 a.m. in every time zone, organizers are encouraging teachers, students, administrators, parents and allies to walk out for 17 minutes — one minute for every person killed.

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South Broward High School sophomore Genesis Campbell leads her classmates in protest in front of their school on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 in response to a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Wednesday that took 17 lives. Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News

South Broward High School students protest in front of their school on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 in response to a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Wednesday that took 17 lives. Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News

South Broward High School students protest in front of their school on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 in response to a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Wednesday that took 17 lives. Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News

South Broward High School senior Sophia Villiers-Furze, center, protests with her classmates in front of their school on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 in response to a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Wednesday that took 17 lives. Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News

South Broward High School students protest in front of their school on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 in response to a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Wednesday that took 17 lives. Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News

South Broward High School students protest in front of their school on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 in response to a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Wednesday that took 17 lives. Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News

South Broward High School senior Gabriela Bargas protests with her classmates in front of their school on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 in response to a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Wednesday that took 17 lives. Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News

Ethan Trieu, 17, outside of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018. Trieu, now a senior, was friends on and off with Nikolas Cruz since the sixth grade, but hadn't been in contact with him since his junior year. "He needed a friend to cope with and he had no one. Everyone is focusing on the guns right now, but the community itself had a problem too. We couldn't help him," said Trieu. Nicole Raucheisen/Naples Daily News

Leonnardo Oliveira, 15, outside of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018. Oliveira was on the second floor of the freshman building when Nikolas Cruz opened fire. As he was being escorted from the building, he saw his coach, Aaron Feis, lying dead on the floor. “It’s horrible,” Oliveira said, recalling how these past few days have been after the attack. “The scenes come back every single day in my head. I don’t think I’m gonna feel like a normal day. Never.” Nicole Raucheisen/Naples Daily News, Nicole Raucheisen

Sen. Bill Nelson addresses the media after meeting with federal and local officials at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, two days after a mass shooting that took 17 lives. Nicole Raucheisen/Naples Daily News, Nicole Raucheisen

Sen. Bill Nelson addresses the media after meeting with federal and local officials at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, two days after a mass shooting that took 17 lives. Nicole Raucheisen/Naples Daily News

Sen. Bill Nelson addresses the media after meeting with federal and local officials at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, two days after a mass shooting that took 17 lives. Nicole Raucheisen/Naples Daily News, Nicole Raucheisen

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Students in Delaware are working together, connecting via email and social media to coordinate walkouts in the First State, John Dickinson High School senior Sofia Rose said. She's editor in chief of the school's student newspaper and has been in close contact with Dounya Ramadan, a Newark Charter School senior, to coordinate efforts at several schools.

They plan on wearing orange and using the Twitter hashtags #dewalkouts and #enough. Some students are considering reciting the names of the victims or singing songs like Amazing Grace, while others may give short speeches or carry signs.

"I believe that there is a common misconception that teenagers do not care about politics and current events, but many of us, if not all of us, do," said Rose, who has been paying attention to Delaware's reaction to the shooting and legislators' stance on assault weapons. "Our main goal is to have common sense gun legislation introduced as soon as possible."

Rose, Ramadan and Schlecht said their principals and teachers have been supportive of their efforts.

"Ursuline is all about empowering young women to make a difference in our world," Schlecht said. "They are teaching us to be pioneers; to be the first to try something new. Our principal and our president push us to change the things we want to change and make all the differences that we can."

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Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Over 150 students at Wilmington Friends School gathered under the school's American flag at noon for 17 minutes, one minute for every life lost in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

At Dickinson, Rose said administrators won't actively promote the walkout but have told students they won't be penalized for taking part.

"My administration has been supportive, although they have had some reservations, mostly about safety," Rose said. "I completely understand their concerns. It would be heartbreakingly ironic if in a protest about student safety, we put students in an unsafe situation."

On social media, where many of the conversations about the walkouts have occurred, parents have had mixed reactions. Some say their children have the right to protest, and like Rose's mom, have encouraged them to speak out. Others are afraid that the walkouts will create the opportunity for a would-be shooter to easily target and kill students as they stand outside in large groups.

Students censored?

Students at Caesar Rodney High School have accused district staff of censoring them on social media.

It started when the district posted a statement on Facebook discouraging students from walking out during the March 14 protest.

"I cannot support allowing students to disrupt the educational setting by leaving their classrooms to 'walk out,'" Superintendent Kevin Fitzgerald said. "Instead, I believe that they should write or call their legislators to let their opinions be known and most importantly to vote when they come of age."

Students and recent graduates of the school commented on the Facebook post and said they disagreed with Fitzgerald's position.

Their comments were later deleted, Caesar Rodney High School junior Gail Conk said. Some students were blocked from the district's Twitter account.

"It's a safety issue, ma'am," Dave Chambers, a district spokesman, told Conk on Facebook. "No one has denied these students the right to protest. The statement says the district can't support a 'walkout.' If they leave school property that day, we can't guarantee their safety."

"If a student leaves a comment about possible security breaches ... I delete it. If a popular student who graduated last year leaves a comment critiquing the school district and supporting current students leaving school property ... I delete it. Because they're encouraging behavior that might be unsafe."

Conk isn't buying it. Her Facebook comments didn't put anyone in danger, she said. They just didn't line up with the district's stance.

She and other students at the school are planning on walking out anyway. Though they initially feared they would be penalized for missing class, they now feel like it's the only way their voices will be heard.

"I have teachers that support me, and I plan on meeting with my principal Friday to discuss it," Conk said.

A group of students at the school has also started a new Twitter account, CR Riders for Change, to share their opinions on the matter. The account's description reads: "A group of concerned Caesar Rodney High School students who want to better their community."

Fitzgerald, who is not on Facebook or Twitter himself, said the school district would be reviewing whether or not the students and alumni should remain blocked.

"We acknowledge there may have been some errors made," he said, adding that some people's comments may have been deleted because they also made comments on their personal Twitter and Facebook accounts that were considered harmful to the school's students.

"We post on Facebook not to get responses, not to get debate, but to communicate information."

Fitzgerald hasn't changed his mind about letting students walk out and said they may be penalized if they choose that route. Discussions about any potential consequences are ongoing.

"Unfortunately schools have become soft targets," he said. "And when I hear everybody do this, on this particular day, I worry. How do I keep my students safe?"

"I can't say this is a good idea. I can't guarantee they'll be safe when they leave my buildings."

Conk wishes Caesar Rodney would emulate the Cape Henlopen School District, which last week announced students that participated in the walkout would be accompanied outside by school staff.

"Students choosing to participate will be permitted to leave the building for 17 minutes, each minute representing one of the victims killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School," the district said in a statement. "Various staff members and administrators will be with the students throughout the duration of the walkout. We are looking at this as an opportunity for our students to participate in the democratic process of peaceful protest."

Peaceful protest

Ryan Tack-Hooper, legal director for The American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware, said students should contact the ACLU if they think they're being unfairly punished for exercising their First Amendment rights.

"You don't get a free pass just because the thing you're doing is righteous," he said. "Students can be disciplined for missing or substantially disrupting classes. But extra punishment for a protest would raise serious First Amendment concerns. We would want to hear from any student who faced more discipline for a protest than they faced for other missed classes. Of course, just because a school can discipline students doesn’t mean they should. We encourage schools to exercise restraint.”

Tack-Hooper wrote a letter criticizing the Caesar Rodney School district after it deleted Facebook comments and blocked people on Twitter.

Ramadan and Rose said they've been encouraging students to work with their school administrators and principals while planning their walkouts. They're also agreeing on what to say and write on signs ahead of time, to make sure their message is a respectful one.

"The goal is to make it big and powerful, but to disrupt the learning environment as little as possible," Rose said.

Brandywine Superintendent Mark Holodick applauded the students' efforts and said while he supports the Second Amendment, he does not support access to weapons meant for war that allow people to harm others in great numbers.

"If we cannot reach middle ground on this, shame on us," he said in a Facebook post. "I applaud their efforts and know, having spent much time around them, they have the intellect and passion to push their issue and accomplish what they set out to ... Their right to peacefully and appropriately express their discontent will indeed be honored. Students respect and appreciate being treated equitably and fairly. They deserve it."

The University of Delaware, which also has students planning a walkout, released a statement saying high school students participating in the walkouts don't have to worry about their applications being rejected if they suffer any consequences from it.

"Applicants who share their views in a peaceful and law-abiding way will not be penalized in our admissions process," the statement said.

Red Clay School District, where Dickinson High School is located, said students will not be penalized for leaving class.

"The horrific events on Valentine’s Day in Parkland, Florida, have energized young people in our country like not seen in decades," the district said in a statement. "As in many schools across the nation, Red Clay, too, has serious, earnest students who are planning to honor the call for a national, 17-minute walkout on March 14. Red Clay will not stand in their way. While the district will not actively promote or encourage the walkout, we will take no disciplinary action against students who participate and are exploring ways to ensure the event is safe and orderly."

Walkouts planned

Nationally, school walkouts are being organized by the Women's March Youth EMPOWER group. Rose participated in a conference call this week with 200 youth from around the nation planning their own, local protests.

"If we work together, if it's a large movement, the more schools that participate, the more impact it will have," Ramadan said.

Students at the following schools and colleges are planning walkouts for March 14:

Archmere Academy

Brandywine High School

Cape Henlopen High School

Cab Calloway School of Arts

Caesar Rodney High School

Caravel Academy

Concord High School

Conrad Schools of Science

Charter School of Wilmington,

Downes Elementary School

John Dickinson High School

Dover High School

Mount Pleasant High School

Middletown High School

Newark High School

Newark Charter School

Padua Academy

Salesianum School

Seaford High School

St. Mark's High School

Tower Hill School

Ursuline Academy

William Penn High School

MOT Charter High School

University of Delaware (Memorial Hall)

Note: This list may not be complete. If a school is not listed, please email jbies@delawareonline.com.